Press

The Vancouver Power 50 2014

2014 was the year we got back to business, whether in real estate (we grow ever more expensive, ever higher), politics, culture, community (remember the teachers' strike?), or commerce. At the heart of good business is negotiation, and this year's list-our 14th-pays special attention to those who braided together disparate interests, especially following this summer's Supreme Court decision recognizing the Tsilhqot'in people's title to their land. Everything changes as we reconsider relationships with First Nations and with partners across the world drawn to the excellence of our setting, our fortune, and our stewardship.

6. Ian Gillespie, Founder & CEO, Westbank

It's not just that he has $25 billion in construction projects around the world or that he's building the city's most striking condo tower ever, the funnel-shaped Vancouver House. And it's not just that he has a genius for getting the ear of whatever council and planner he has to work with. Gillespie ascended to a new level in 2014 by becoming the first city developer to move big-time into district energy-that concept of providing a single heat and power plant for a whole neighbourhood. Other builders are experimenting with smaller, local systems; Gillespie bought the giant Central Heat, which serves 200 downtown buildings, and said he will expand it significantly. The city will require new developments to hook into it, in exchange for Gillespie's promise to find a new low-carbon fuel source.